It said that Democrats are a national party, and we are going to contest every possible election and fight for your votes.

It also helped, in a way, to nationalize the 2006 midterm election.

As you can see from the title of this diary, I equoated it with the famous 1992 Clinton campaign slogan: "It's the economy, stupid."

That slogan was originally designed to remind the campaign workers and staff of what the most salient issue in that campaign was to the voters.

But, it also became a neat little shorthand way to show how Clinton "got it," and understood what was important to voters and that he was reletlessly focused on the economy.

The media speard that meme, and it without a doubt helped Clinton win the presidency.

In the same way, I think Howard Dean's "50 state strategy" helps galvanzie Democratic staff, volunteers and activists. It means we will not concede any state or district to the GOP (at least rhetorically) and that we are going to fight for our party aned our beliefs everywhere.

It is a slogan that demonstrates profound CONFIDENCE in not only our message and ideas, but in the Democratic brand itself.

South Carolina state chairman Joe Erwin said that his party won't pull off any big surprises in his conservative state this year, but said Dean's troops have put a new bounce in the step of Democrats there, and helped make a difference in several local races.

"You don't turn the supertanker around overnight," Erwin said of the party's prospects in a region where, as in the West, demographic changes may one day erode the current Republican advantage. "But now we have folks that go around and tell every party organization, every club, 'You matter. You can make a difference. Let's compete everywhere.'

"It's clearly a tone that is different than what it was before," said Erwin. "Everybody gets it now."

I also believe it somewhat demoralizes and puts the GOP on notice, especially in marginally red districts and states, that we are gunning for them and that they will have to fight like hell to keep their seats.

It's a foreward, agressive posture. It also, gives the Democrts an air of confidence and self-assuredness taht is attractive to voters. Or, at least, it CONVEYS that message.

So, to sum up, I think Howard Dean (and the netroots') "50 state strategy" is at least as valuable as a propaganda tool as it is in a practical, organizatin building sense.

That's why, I think, Bill Clinton signed onto it in March of this year. [Even if James carville is off the reservation].

And the message has not been lost on some observers of the US elections. The British Labour party has invited Howard Dean to tutor them on his grass roots organizing methods. But I suspect one of the main themes they will adopt is the British equivalent of the "50 state strategy."

Oh, and as a postscript, Howard Dean talked with harold Ford. And Ford told Dean he is not interested in becoming DNC Chairman, despite James Carville's attempt at a palace coup.

Why is it, incidentally, that Carville is heaping scorn on Dean after a huge victory, but didn't say squat about Terry McAuliffe after the Democrats got waxed in 2002 and 2004?